


As You Wish

by AetherBunny



Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: F/M, Fluff and Angst, Mostly Fluff, Sickfic, very little angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-21
Updated: 2015-09-21
Packaged: 2018-04-22 16:33:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,258
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4842566
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AetherBunny/pseuds/AetherBunny
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Natasha gets sick, Bruce gets motivation, and all things considered Tony Stark is a pretty good friend.</p>
            </blockquote>





	As You Wish

**Author's Note:**

> I don't dislike Bruce/Natasha I just dislike hastily written romances from out of left field. So I wrote myself something like like better.

Natasha shuffles into the lab in an over-sized Iowa State sweatshirt and not much else. Her face flushed, eyes glazed slightly. 

The men look up concerned.

"Tash?" Bruce asks quietly.

"Can't sleep, feel better around people." She props herself up on a stool in the corner and struggles to stay upright. Tony taps a few keys here and there and in a moment or so her vitals are on the screen in front of him. He sends them to Bruce. Fever, a high one. They nod to one another and let her stay just long enough to fall asleep. Bruce turning as pink as she was with the lazy splay of her legs. 

"We should get her to bed." He suggests, but does not move. It's Tony who wipes his hands and scoops her up with only a small sound of protest. She pushes her face into his neck, damp and shivering against his skin. He thinks about how young she really is, how fragile in this moment. Just thirty. She should be working some 9-5 job with an apartment she can barely afford, maybe with some too handsome boyfriend on her arm. Or happily married in the suburbs with kid 2 on the way.

It's a pity those bastards ruined it all for her, but he's glad she's here with them now. Dry sarcastic Natasha who could really and truly kill them all as they slept, but has grown fond of her band of misfits. A sweet girl who should have had more than a bunch of unstable old men to chase around after.  
By the time he gets her to her room she's alert, too alert. 

"Bathroom!" she slurs and makes a wobbly charge for it as soon as he sets her down. He waits until her heaving stops and she flushes whatever she brought up. She was looking better but not well. He tucks her in despite her protests, kissing her still damp forehead. He let's her attach herself to his side for a little while, and he strokes her hair. 

"Pepper gets sick every year, like clockwork. Late January for like, three days she's a nasty vomitous wreck. Did you know she's whiny when she's sick? Don't tell her I told you but she's the biggest baby. Or maybe she does it because I'll wait on her hand and foot? I'm a sucker like that." He wipes a curl from her neck. She makes a small noncommittal noise. 

"Are you really that bored all the time or is there something in the lab you're after?" He knows she won't respond, but he also knows the answer. "If you're doing it for Bruce, you scare the crap out of him."

"Not trying. I just -" She pushes her face further into his ribs.

"I know. I'll see what I can do." He's seen her boldly strut into the space and pester his pal with questions about whatever he's making. Half listening, idly taking up space and making a presence of herself. Bruce is a clever man and know's what's going on, he's also a insecure one. He'd never in a million years actually reach for something fantastic, even if it was just sitting waiting for him. He slid away from his sick friend when her breathing evened out, and found her a trash can and a glass of water, leaving both beside her bed. 

"I'll keep you informed sir." JARVIS adds quietly as soon as he closes her door.

"She's pretty." Tony fills Bruce in and lets him get back to work before starting up.

"Mmh" His companion doesn't look up from his work. Tony tosses a wad of paper at him and then gestures for him to respond more articulately.  
"What Tony? What should I do about it?"

"What ever you want, whatever SHE wants. She clearly wants something." 

Bruce squints at his lab mate. 

"Don't make that face at me Banner."

"Doesn't she have a thing with Clint?"

"You know I asked her about that once. She said and I quote, 'I do what I want.' I assume sometimes Clint is involved yeah. She LIKES you Bruce, she who could have anyone male, female, both, neither. I'm pretty sure at least one of these guys likes her." He motions to a few standby robots. Something beeps in response. 

"See? I didn't even plan that. Bruce, Brucie. You are my friend, in fact you're part of a very elite club of people I call "best friend". Please be happy. Think of yourself just as you for a little bit. Don't you deserve it?"

"But-"

"No, look. She's a grown woman. She's intelegent, capable, and a highly trained agent, WHO if she felt any suspicion of danger or bodily harm in a situation she could easily avoid, wouldn't seek it out! She wouldn't actively come into it's lab to flirt. Steve is in, Steve's closer to her room, they hang out all the time, and she came up here. All the way up here in her skivvies because hanging around you makes her feel better. That's disgusting, it's adorable. Do something Bruce. Hold her hand, kiss her or whatever. You do like her right? Or does your heart rate skyrocket when she's around for another reason?"

"JARVIS?" 

"Sorry sir, Mr. Stark monitors all vital signs in-"

"Alright. Alright." He waves a hand to get them both to stop talking.

"That's the spirit! Just give her some time to keep food down before you wine and dine her."

"Tony-"

 

That next morning Bruce stands outside her door with two mugs of tea and a book.

"She's awake Dr. Banner." JARVIS supplies without being prompted. "Shall I let her know you're here?"

"Yeah, that'd be nice thanks." A moment later the door whooshes open softly. "I brought you some tea? Mint is good for the digestive system, I thought ginger might be too much." 

"Thanks." She clears a spot on her nightstand.

"Feeling better?" He puts down the mug and looks anywhere but at her.

"Yeah, some. I'm really sore, but I think my fever broke." 

The following silence is awkward to say the least. Natasha sighs and clears a spot for the second mug. 

"Bruce." 

"Yeah?"

"Bruce." She pats the covers along her opposite side. "I'd slide over but you don't want to be in this spot. I don't really even want to be in this spot."

"Thanks for the sacrifice." He almost smiles, but he makes his way to the other side of the bed and toes off his shoes. He settles in above the covers and looks at her for a moment. 

"What? I'm sick don't make me do all the work here." 

"Hey, I haven't done this in a while. Cut me some slack."

"And what are you doing Dr. Banner?" She grins ear to ear despite her obvious exhaustion. 

"Do you want me to read to you or not?"

"Yes please."

"Okay then, go easy on me. Are you comfortable? This is a long book. The movie leaves a lot out."

"I might fall asleep." 

"We can pick up another time from where you remember."

"Okay." She fluffs her comforter a little and settles in. 

"The year that Buttercup was born, the most beautiful woman in the world was a French scullery maid named Annette."

"Is this a kissing book?" She asks, muffled. He looks over, she had pulled the covers up so only her eyes and the top of her head were visible.

"We can talk about it when you're feeling better."

**Author's Note:**

> I still don't think I want to see AoU.
> 
> Also I promise I'll get better at posting again.


End file.
